A map in the musty room of the National Archives of India shows Delhi in 1807, shortly after the arrival of the British in 1803. It highlights the hierarchy of settlements, from small to larger villages. The map marks out Shahajahanabad, Tughlaqabad, Mooralee and the Qutab Minar complex and is attributed to British surveyor FS White.

This illustration of Delhi in the 19th century is one of the first maps in Pilar Maria Guerrieri’s book, Maps Of Delhi.

“The smaller settlements are indicated only by name, and the delicate, miniature abstraction of villages, at times even trees, give this map an element of unique artistic expression,” writes Guerrieri about this map titled Sketch Of The Environs of Delhi.

Sketch of the Environs of Delhi, 1807. National Archives of India (Image from 'Maps of Delhi' by Pilar Maria Guerrieri; Niyogi Books).

In her exquisitely produced book, Guerrieri arranges maps chronologically from as early as the beginning of the 19th century, to depict Delhi and the various influences that have caused its evolution into the city as we know it now.

In 2011, the architect chose India to do her PhD research in architectural design, architectural composition, criticism and theory. “Italy has a strong background in terms of using mapping as a tool to understand cities,” Guerrieri told Scroll.in. She was inspired by an Italian architect, Saverio Muratori, to study Delhi through its maps. Muratori had systematically surveyed Venice and Rome by comparing historical maps. Over the next three years, Guerrieri pored over old maps and books in dusty libraries, visited strangers’ houses when physically measuring areas and built up a collection of maps of which 61 have been published in the book.

The pre-independence maps included in the books are from the collection of maps drawn by British cartographers.

“At first, before the great 1857 rebellion, the colonialist sought to mingle with the local population and live inside Shahajahanabad. However, soon after the British assumed power over the subcontinent and had expelled the then Mughal emperor, they developed a practice of separating themselves,” writes Guerrieri. The maps in the book, up till 1911, demonstrate this phenomenon documented by the British. “They gradually relocated, first to the north with the military cantonments and residences in the Civil Lines area, then to the south in 1911, founding a new imperial city known as New Delhi.”

A significant event in the pre-independent India, the rebellion of 1857, has been demonstrated over a few maps. One particular pocket map, titled Siege of Delhi from that year, highlights the military operations planned by the British.

“The map... was certainly printed after Delhi was re-captured by the British, on the 22nd of September, 1857, since the grave of General Nicholson and ‘the spot where Gen Nicholson was shot’ are marked,” writes Guerrieri.

“It remains ambiguous whether this map is a historical account of what transpired, since it marks the Enemy’s trench with Left Breach’ and Right Breach on either side of it, or if this map was to serve, effectively, as a pocket guide for future encounters with the rebelling forces,” she writes.

Following the rebellion, the British built a railway line and demolished parts of the Red Fort to prevent future mutinies. The maps and sketches of the city post-1857 reflect the New Delhi that the British planned to set up.

One such sketch, titled Lay Out Plan of New Delhi, gives details of the imperial New Delhi and illustrates land occupied by the government and its plans for future acquisitions.

Lay Out Plan of New Delhi, pre 1930. Delhi State Archives (Image from 'Maps of Delhi' by Pilar Maria Guerrieri; Niyogi Books).

It marks out Connaught Place, the Viceroy house, the secretariats and the parliament.

A 1945 map in the Indian archives also shows the impact of World War II and where temporary buildings were erected for military purposes in Delhi. Apart from its importance as a military document, the map is insightful from an urban planning perspective. It is interesting to note that the map confirms that Lodi Colony had already been planned by this time as part of the Imperial Capital.

The plan, said Guerrieri, possibly became an integral model for future housing projects that would take place after Independence.

“Compared to the colonies of Karol Bagh or Jangpura, a visible improvement in the conception of design and layout becomes evident; the geometry of each block demonstrates a conscious relationship between residential buildings, per se, and the open spaces, private or semi-public, around it,” she writes.

Plan Showing All The Temporary Buildings in New Delhi erected in Connection with the War, 1945. Delhi State Archives (Image from 'Maps of Delhi' by Pilar Maria Guerrieri; Niyogi Books).

Post-independence

“Right after independence, there was an explosion of settlements in Delhi owing to the influx of refugees from all social strata into Delhi which gave birth to various inconsistently built colonies,” said Guerrieri. One of the maps created after independence, includes many of these refugee colonies – Patel Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Nizamuddin.

Development Plan of Greater Delhi, 1947-1955. Delhi State Archives (Image from 'Maps of Delhi' by Pilar Maria Guerrieri; Niyogi Books).

As we progress to the late 1990s, digital maps become the medium of choice. “The maps I like the most are the ones that have been beautifully drawn by hand,” said Guerrieri. “They are like works of art that one can almost imagine the cartographer forming an emotional and sentimental attachment to. Drawing of maps on paper or cloth is a lost art in this day and age of digital maps.”

The last map in the book shows the forthcoming Master Plan 2021 by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It depicts a vast increase in the urbanised area and the undeveloped areas in the map have been marked as “urbanisable”.

“Even though there is an indication to monuments, the map of the city has seemingly become detached from its conventional purpose; historical information is neglected and artistic and aesthetic values compromised in favour of a more methodical and arid scientific analysis,” writes Guerrieri.

Advice from an ex-robber on how to keep your home safe

Tips on a more hands-on approach of keeping your house secure.

Home, a space that is entirely ours, holds together our entire world. Where our children grow-up, parents grow old and we collect a lifetime of memories, home is a feeling as much as it’s a place. So, what do you do when your home is eyed by miscreants who prowl the neighbourhood night and day, plotting to break in? Here are a few pre-emptive measures you can take to make your home safe from burglars:

1. Get inside the mind of a burglar

Before I break the lock of a home, first I bolt the doors of the neighbouring homes. So that, even if someone hears some noise, they can’t come to help.

— Som Pashar, committed nearly 100 robberies.

Burglars study the neighbourhood to keep a check on the ins and outs of residents and target homes that can be easily accessed. Understanding how the mind of a burglar works might give insights that can be used to ward off such danger. For instance, burglars judge a house by its front doors. A house with a sturdy door, secured by an alarm system or an intimidating lock, doesn’t end up on the burglar’s target list. Upgrade the locks on your doors to the latest technology to leave a strong impression.

Here are the videos of 3 reformed robbers talking about their modus operandi and what discouraged them from robbing a house, to give you some ideas on reinforcing your home.

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2. Survey your house from inside out to scout out weaknesses

Whether it’s a dodgy back door, a misaligned window in your parent’s room or the easily accessible balcony of your kid’s room, identify signs of weakness in your home and fix them. Any sign of neglect can give burglars the idea that the house can be easily robbed because of lax internal security.

You don’t need to plant intricate booby traps like the ones in the Home Alone movies, but try to stay one step ahead of thieves. Keep your car keys on your bed-stand in the night so that you can activate the car alarm in case of unwanted visitors. When out on a vacation, convince the burglars that the house is not empty by using smart light bulbs that can be remotely controlled and switched on at night. Make sure that your newspapers don’t pile up in front of the main-door (a clear indication that the house is empty).

4. Protect your home from the outside

Collaborate with your neighbours to increase the lighting around your house and on the street – a well-lit neighbourhood makes it difficult for burglars to get-away, deterring them from targeting the area. Make sure that the police verification of your hired help is done and that he/she is trustworthy.

While many of us take home security for granted, it’s important to be proactive to eliminate even the slight chance of a robbery. As the above videos show, robbers come up with ingenious ways to break in to homes. So, take their advice and invest in a good set of locks to protect your doors. Godrej Locks offer a range of innovative locks that are un-pickable and un-duplicable. To secure your house, see here.

The article was produced by the Scroll marketing team on behalf of Godrej Locks and not by the Scroll editorial team.